Brainstorm. There is no magic formula for coming up with a good title for your nonfiction book. Generating the right combination of words to tell readers just enough about your book takes some time. Think of titles that have a rhythm and look good on paper. One-word titles work well for nonfiction crime books, but a nonfiction diet book or a business book may work better with a title and subtitle.
Write down ideas in a notebook. Look at the title and try to imagine it on a book cover. The buying public will be looking at it and—while they might not consciously do it—they are probably picking up the book because the title looks and sounds good. A long, hard-to-pronounce book title is not going to win an audience.
Tell readers something about your book in the title. If possible, introduce a concept with the main title and a subtitle that further identifies what the book is about. Consider using word play or even metaphor to get the book's subject matter across. This is a popular technique used with nonfiction titles. Example:
Marital Hypnosis
(When Your Partner Controls Your Life)
This title suggests a self-help book for someone who is trapped in a marriage to someone with control issues. It uses a hypnosis theme.
Write a title that promises something. An example might be:
Rolling in Dough
(Seven Get-Rich Quick Schemes That Work)
This is an example of a title that promises something. As an added benefit, the title suggests artwork too.